


A Lesson as Payment

by tori_cat13



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, xxxHoLic
Genre: Gen, Master of Death Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 14:05:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10832808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tori_cat13/pseuds/tori_cat13
Summary: One day Watanuki comes to the shop to see a man dancing with Yuuko. He's called Master of Death.





	A Lesson as Payment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jar_of_galaxy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jar_of_galaxy/gifts).



> Because I like to please the lovelies who comment on my stories, here you go. This is related to my other story The Master of Death and with the probably-multichapter fic I started which will follow the incarnation of Harry that is mentioned by the name "Shi" in this story.  
> oh, and it includes The Tale of the Three Brothers, as narrated by Emma Watson (cause I can't be arse to hunt down a copy of the book of the story they published) which I didn't write. So, disclaimer there.

    Watanuki had just returned from grocery shopping when he heard the rather concerning sound of Yuuko-san yelling. The words she abuse she was shouting only made him bemused. He quickly put the groceries away before coming to the room the sounds issued from. He pulled open the sliding doors as Yuuko-san was saying, “No, you clumsy oaf! It’s the _left_ foot, the _left foot_! How you ever managed to win a duel with such shoddy footwork is a mystery to me!” A man’s voice responded, “Dueling is nothing like ballroom dancing Yuuko-san! And it’s not like anyone properly taught me that either!”

    The scene Watanuki saw was unexpected. Some man dressed in extravagantly embroidered robes had his hands on Yuuko-san’s waist. As he watched the two in the room (minus Maru and Moro who were in the corner fiddling with an old-fashioned gramophone) they started over, obviously being in the middle of practicing a waltz and from the sound of it had been for some time, the man miss-stepped again, tripping Yuuko-san, so that she lost her footing until the only thing stopping her from hitting the floor was the man’s hands which had grabbed hers. Watanuki was sure the man was about to die from the glare Yuuko-san sent him. The man just pulled her upright while muttering, “Left foot, _left_ foot.”

    “Yuuko-san,” Watanuki called, deciding it was best to interrupt now instead of in the middle of a dance.

    “AAH!!! Watanuki-kun!” Yuuko squealed, pushing the man on the chest hard so that he fell on his butt. “Watanuki-kun, what a pleasant interruption! I think it’s time for a break, don’t you agree, Thanos-kun!” She directed the last part to the man still sitting on the floor and it was in no way a suggestion. She whirled back to Watanuki, “If you could bring some refreshments—I think some chilled sake and snacks would do—to the porch we’ll talk there.”

    Watanuki and the man Yuuko-san had called “Thanos-kun” exchanged a bemused look. There was something familiar about the man, in the shape of his face and the color of his eyes. Watanuki blinked and the feeling of familiarity was gone. He shook his head and went to the kitchen.

    Yuuko-san and Thanos-san were lounging on the back porch in the twilight when Watanuki returned with the drinks and snacks. The picture they made had Watanuki stopping short. An otherworldly aura enveloped the two as the sun’s dying rays bathed them in golden light. Watanuki inhaled and approached them, trying to get over the strange feeling. The effect was totally ruined when the two started bickering in a childish fashion.

    Yuuko turned at his entry, “Watanuki, I haven’t gotten the opportunity to introduce the two of you. This… is the Master of Death.” She gestured to the man who had slunk down into one of the poses Watanuki had often seen Yuuko-san take and looked at him in a sultry fashion out of the corner of his eye.

    Watanuki was half-way between affected and supremely unimpressed by the look and pose. “Uh-huh. And how long have you known Yuuko-san?”

    Yuuko inhaled in fake shock, “Watanuki-kun, however did you know we knew each other?!” She put her hands to her cheeks, the ‘Master of Death’ mirroring her actions and expressions.

    “Gee, I don’t know, perhaps it’s the way the two of you bicker like an old married couple?”

    “Who would want to be married to this old geezer/hag?” Came simultaneously from the both of them before they turned and got into a cat-fight. Watanuki had the distinct feeling they were upstaging him and stealing his routine….

    After they got that out of their systems, they cleared their throats before the man stood up and walked a few paces away, into the yard. He stopped, looking up at the sky. The atmosphere abruptly shifted and a breeze surrounded him. The man swept around, robes billowing dramatically. He dropped to one knee and bowed, “Thanos, Master of Death, at your service,” before rising.

    Watanuki was struck speechless but was startled from his stupor by Yuuko clapping slowly and a bit sarcastically, “Wheet-woo, Thanos-kun; very dramatic. Such a lovely and striking picture you made. Such an aura you have, do it again, do it again.”

    Thanos pouted. “It’s not like you don’t introduce yourself in an aesthetically pleasing and dramatic way either, Yuuko-san, so you have no room to critique me.”

    Yuuko slinked over to him and touched her fingertips to the underside of his chin and cooed, “Poor Thanos-kun, being picked on by the Space-Time Witch.”

    “Poor Ichihara-san,” he whispered as he grasped her chin in turn, “picking on the Master of Death.” The words were a subtle threat that signaled the end of their teasing for the moment. The two released each other at the same time and walked back to the porch in synchronicity.

    Watanuki was a bit stumped by the abrupt change in attitude. “Er….”

    “How about a story,” Thanos said and clapped his hands once. Yuuko looked over at him and raised a brow over the edge of her sakazuki. “It had better be illustrated,” was the only thing she said.

    “Alright,” he agreed. “Watanuki-kun come closer. Now, this is a story told in my land as a fairytale, a wizarding one. It’s the story of three travelers who each win a double edged gift and the consequences; after all, nothing in this world if free….” He waved his hands and an illusion lit the air. Watanuki wanted to ask how he’d done this but atmosphere already forbade anyone from interrupting.

    _“There were once three brothers, who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too treacherous to pass. But, being learned in the magical arts, the three brothers simply waved their wands and made a bridge._

_“Before they could pass, however, they found their path blocked by a hooded figure. It was Death and he felt cheated, cheated because travelers would normally drown in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers on their magic, and said that each of them had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him._

_“The oldest, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence. So Death fashioned him one from an elder tree that stood nearby. The second brother decided he wanted to humiliate Death even further and asked for the power to recall loved ones from the Grave. So Death plucked a stone from the river and offered it to him. Finally, Death turned to the third brother. A humble man, he asked for something that would allow him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And so it was that Death reluctantly handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility._

_“The first brother traveled to a distant village where, the Elder Wand in hand, he killed a wizard with whom he had once quarreled. Drunk with the power the Elder Wand had given him, he bragged of his invincibility. But that night, another wizard stole the wand and slit his throat for good measure. And so, Death took the first brother for his own._

_“The second brother journeyed to his home, where he took the stone and turned it thrice in hand. To his delight, the girl he had once hoped to marry before her untimely death appeared before him. Yet soon she turned sad and cold for she did not belong in the mortal world. Driven mad with hopeless longing, the second brother killed himself so as to join her. And so, Death took the second brother for his own._

_“As for the third brother, Death searched for many years but was never able to find him. Only when he attained a great age, did the youngest brother shed his Cloak of Invisibility and give it to his son. He then greeted Death as an old friend and went with him gladly, departing this life as equals._

_“The names given to these accursed items were the Death Stick, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility. Together they make the Deathly Hallows, together… They make one Master of Death.”_

    The illusion faded away, the last symbol—a circle inside a triangle divided by a line—was the last to fade from the air. Watanuki’s throat was dry and his hands felt slightly sweaty. Why had this man shared this story? If it was true, did that mean he had collected these items? But why shouldn’t he have, it’s not like Watanuki hadn’t seen a great many rare and magical item come through this shop.

    “What’s really amazing,” Yuuko broke in, “is how many of you guys are floating around the universe.” Her voice took on a faintly accusing edge, “And it’s not like any of you really stay in one place. You all give me headaches with all the dimension hopping you do!” She complained. “And the trouble you all get into! Just last week, you wouldn’t believe what that brat Anubis did! At least Shi-kun isn’t doing those things yet.” More quietly, almost to herself, she murmured, “Then again, I don’t think Shi-kun, when he comes into his powers, is going to be too much of a problem; he always was such a good kid.”

    Thanos made an intrigued noise in the back of his throat. “And how is little Shi? He’s not come into his—” he abruptly trailed off, not saying what he might “come in to” and finished, “yet?”

    Yuuko tilted her head back. “No, that child is still in school, though he visits when he can; such a good child. He’ll make such an excellent companion for someone someday though he still has a long road to get there.”

    Thanos nodded his head in agreement. “It might be even harder, though in some respects it might be easier for him since he has access to you, however he’s bound much more tightly by your laws than most of the others ever were since there is, after all, only one wish-fulfilling shop.”

    The lesson in waltzing resumed. Watanuki offered to help even though he didn’t want to, since it was rather strange that Yuuko-san didn’t order him to help out. She, however, told him that he couldn’t, that she must be the one to teach him, since payments and wishes had to balance out.

    Later, when the man had left Watanuki asked about him. “That man… was he really Master of Death? And what does that even mean? And all that power…?” He couldn’t even begin to quantify all the ways that should and could not work based on the universal laws Yuuko-san was slowly teaching him.

    Yuuko hummed thoughtfully. “The existence of the Master of Death is rather a touchy subject. In many universes there are those that are called Master of Death, there is one true Master of Death who is the one that collected the first and original Hallows—he has since been taken out of play, I guess you could say—and then there are the ones that use the title but haven’t gained the power since they didn’t pass the necessary requirements for truly gaining the title instead of just gaining ownership of the three.

    “The true Master of Death had the most power. There are many, many universes where the Hallows exist, and for each of these universes, if someone collects them and passes the requirements, they gain power. But precisely because there is more than one, they each have less power. The universe balances it so.

    “In almost every universe, it is the same soul that has achieved the title and thus the power. I’m acquainted with quite a few since they are one of the few beings with the power to dimension travel, which is such a headache.”

    Watanuki wanted to voice how familiar the man seemed but couldn’t find the words so he said leadingly, “Shi…that’s Japanese, isn’t it?”

    Yuuko gave him a look that said she knew exactly what he was up to but answered unhelpfully, “Yes, it is.”

    Seeing she would give him no more information on that he asked instead, “You mentioned prices and payments earlier when you said I couldn’t teach him, what was the payment he offered?”

    Yuuko gave him a vaguely amused look and said, “A lesson to be used in the future was payed with a lesson to also be used in the future.” She smirked. “Exactly equal.”

    It wasn’t until many years later when he came across a plain oaken box he’d never seen before in Yuuko’s storeroom with an insignia that he realized what exactly she meant by that.

**Author's Note:**

> I know it probably wasn't exactly what you were imagining when you suggested it, The_universe_of_imagination, but this is what the muse decreed. More stories related to this universe and the story following Shi will becoming in the future.


End file.
